India's long-distance runner Gulveer Singh took his name into the history book when he won a silver medal in the men's 10,000m final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Singh managed to win in a technically sound 27:49.78 with a historic podium finish to his name. This is a historic achievement for Indian athletics in terms of medals which no Indian ever won in the 10,000m category in the Commonwealth Games. In the face of the strength and tradition of East Africa's distance-running elite, the current Asian champion broke down the glass ceiling for Indian track and field in the international arena.
Gulveer’s amazing achievement propelled India’s medal count to 12 medals at the Glasgow Games, the seventh silver of the multi-sport event so far. While weightlifting has so far been the nucleus of India’s silver with excellent performances from Rishikanta Singh, Muthupandi Raja, Gyaneshwari Yadav, Valluri Ajaya Babu, and Harjinder Kaur, we are seeing the athletics team in the spotlight now. Gulveer, in conjunction with high jumper Sarvesh Kushare, became the second Indian track and field athlete to reach the podium at these Games and ended a successful day for the national team.
The momentum continued on Tuesday, July 28, when India took another silver medal by weightlifter Harjinder Kaur. The 29-year-old had a great performance in the women’s 69kg final, touching 97kg and 99kg and achieving her personal best in both lifts. She set the tone early in the snatch with 96kg and 99kg and then reached a personal best 101kg that briefly set a Games record before Canadian junior world champion Charlotte Simoneau got ahead with 108kg.
Besides the mat and track success, India also had three medals in the boxing ring. Jadumani Singh in the men's 55kg category, Priya Ghanghas in the women's 60kg division, and Preeti Pawar in the women's 54kg class all produced clinical performances to reach the semi-finals of their weight classes to round out a memorable and very productive day for Indian sports on the international stage.
